more on Isreali-Lebanon conflict

As a follow up to the last blog, here is what I found when I checked my email this morning. Although I have my reservations about IMD, things like this is what makes me proud of being a part of this institution. We are not only business people, but also good caring citizens of the globe.

The email came from our political econ professor, Jean-Pierre Lehmann. Enclosed was a "letter published in today's FT by two IMD MBA alumni of 2005, one Lebanese and one Israeli. Of all the comments I have seen, this is the first with joint co-authorship by a Lebanese and an Israeli. It is an excellent letter. It was written entirely at the initiative of the two authors. The FT response was immediate and very positive and the letter is being published in fact within 48 hours of reception."

"I am really very pleased and proud. I think this also vindicates the spirit in which we hold our discussions in the IPE class. This year unfortunately we have no Israeli participant. In the past, however, we have had joint presentations from Arab and Israeli participants, who have had to work extremely hard to find common ground. Just as this letter was the result of numerous exchanges between the two authors, in which the possible meaning of every word counts. It is not easy. This also underlines, in my view, the fact that business leaders should not seek to avoid difficult political issues, but should confront them. The letter by Talal and Roberto will not, alas, bring the war screeching to a halt. But it will be a small yet significant stone in the foundations that need to be built for peace in the region, as elusive as it may appear at this moment. This joint Lebanese-Israeli initiative also underlines the IMD as global meeting place concept. A global meeting place not just to talk about banalities, nor just about serious business issues, but about really serious political issues, which will strongly impact on the global market and global business.
So many congratulations and thanks to Roberto and Talal and may they serve as inspiration to all of us!
Best
Jean-Pierre"

Cheers to the alums, and may the conflict end soon.